Cheapism’s Biggest Tourist Trap In Wyoming, And Every State

Cheapism.com just named each state's biggest Tourist Trap. The above photo shows what they picked for Wyoming - historic Frontier Prison in Rawlins. Here's the critique:

Tours of the abandoned ... "Wyoming Frontier Prison in Rawlins, which opened in 1901 and closed in 1981, include the chance to sit in a real gas chamber, and to view the Punishment Pole, where prisoners were whipped with rubber hoses. The cost is $8 for adults and $7 for children, in other words, $30 for a family with small children to endure weeks of nightmares afterward."

Now according to Cheapism, Wyoming's 5 neighboring touron* traps:

Nebraska: "With the real Stonehenge often labeled a tourist trap, it's hard to see the appeal of a replica made from vintage American automobiles painted gray to look like giant stones. Those who have visited Carhenge in Alliance describe it as everything from a step above a junkyard to the perfect Griswold family moment."

Colorado: "In Denver's downtown, a pedestrian and transit space covering 1.3 miles is the 16th Street Mall - a tourist trap akin to Times Square and Hollywood Boulevard. Overrun with chain stores and restaurants, it offers very little that's unique to Denver."

Montana: "The collection of silver dollars on display at Lincoln's World Famous 50,000 Silver $ Bar in Haugan was started in 1952. Now there are coins covering the walls, bar, and ceiling. There's also a restaurant, motel with free RV parking, convenience store, casinos, and "Montana's largest gift shop." If you want to marvel at other people's money while spending your own, this is the tourist trap for you."

South Dakota: "Wall Drug may have started as a drugstore in 1931, but it has morphed into a classic American tourist trap with a sprawling souvenir shop and eateries that are collectively "crowded, overpriced, and stupid," say the GypsyNester duo. Countless signs along Interstate 90 make travelers feel as though they absolutely have to stop, but many who do regret it."

Utah: While $5 a person is not a lot to pay, for some it's just too much for a "tour" of Moqui Cave that lasts just a few minutes. The cave near Kanab is billed as a natural history museum, but visitors complain that the collection of Native American artifacts, dinosaur tracks, and minerals is paltry at best. They say the attraction is mostly a gift shop, and why pay an entrance fee to shop?

All 50 of Cheapism's choices are here.

*Touron: Wyoming word for tourist/moron.